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Swimming with Sharks When You’re a Big Fish in a Small Pond

Steven Long

Some clients like to look for attorneys with prestigious addresses or those who are part of a bigger firm. But here in the Dallas area, a lot of clients prefer an attorney who is a big fish in a small pond. Many clients and would-be clients are more interested in working with a local attorney in a small office nearby, rather than one in a large office where they have to travel miles and miles to visit. However, small firms and solo practitioners often lack the marketing dollars and muscle of their big-firm counterparts. Without those, attorneys who may be off the beaten track need to be smart and savvy to stand out and get noticed by people needing legal advice.

Social media can be the equalizer that allows you to get noticed by clients in your neighborhood when you don't work for a big firm — as long as you take the right approaches to maximize marketing time and money.

Become the "Mayor" of Your Town — Think Local

No matter your location or practice area, you likely face a lot of competition. You need to set yourself apart locally first, since your clients are more likely to come from the immediate area, aren't they? Staking out your turf online can help you do that.

Think of social media as the online equivalent of getting out there and shaking hands with every potential client in your city. Blogs and social media content can be locally targeted with proper tagging. Say, for example, you include the tag "Getting divorced in Plano?" in your online materials. Search engines can see that not only is the topic relevant, but so is your location. That way, when people in Plano need a divorce, they've not only found your blog on Google, but you happen to be practically right around the corner.

Geo-based social media marketing, also known as geomarketing, can be another invaluable resource with this. According to Wikipedia, "Geomarketing is the integration of geographical intelligence into various aspects of marketing, including sales and distribution." So what does that mean for attorneys? By using the right marketing software or developing a presence on the social media sites your potential clients visit, you can boost the odds that you will be the attorney whose information they see first when searching for legal help.

Pay Attention to Your Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

There's no question how important good SEO is — according to the Attorney Selection Research Study by The Research Intelligence Group (TRiG), 76% of those looking to hire an attorney in the last year used an online resource as part of their search. I'll touch on SEO in future blog posts, but in the meantime, always consider SEO in terms of every aspect of your online and social media marketing. If you want expert advice right away, check out LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell's Law Firm Marketing Solutions.

For many clients and would-be clients, hiring an attorney who is a solo practitioner or part of a small firm outside of Dallas can be a major advantage. But first, you have to make sure that those clients know you are there to help with their legal needs. With social media and a strong online presence, you can now own your turf online like never before.